Saudi princess granted British asylum

 

LONDON (UPI) -- Britain has secretly granted political asylum to a Saudi Arabian princess who had a child out of wedlock with a British man, The Independent reported Monday.

 

Without naming sources, the newspaper said immigration officials admitted the princess, who has been granted anonymity by the courts, after she told a judge she would face death by stoning if she were forced to return home.

 

Britain has not publicized the case because diplomats believe it would put their Saudi allies in a bad light, opening them up for criticism for what critics say is the way women are persecuted under the conservative rule of Saudi Arabia's royal family, the newspaper said.

 

The Independent said the woman is from a very wealthy Saudi family and is married to an elderly member of the Saudi royal clan. She met her British, non-Muslim boyfriend while on a trip to London and reportedly become pregnant the next year, refusing to return to Saudi Arabia after secretly giving birth in England.

 

The princess told British authorities she would be liable to death by stoning or flogging under Saudi Arabia's Shariah law system, the newspaper said.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

This news arrived on: 07/20/2009

 

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